Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Okay, so - long story short i used to be upwards 200 pounds and i'm finally closer to my target range of around 150(set by my doctor years ago lol). I'm trying to shift my focus from weight loss to simply "being healthy" with further weight loss (and muscle gain) being some of the goals/benefits.

Now that i'm on T (FtM just FYI) and looking forward to top surgery in a year or two, i'm kind of eager to focus on being as healthy as i can be. If i'm finally going to have the masculine body i've always wanted, i better take care of it! Also... so that when the time comes, i dont have a big gut to be self conscious about (lol).

Im looking for advice from anyone who has experience with diet, nutrition, exercise, etc. Diet and nutrition more than anything, as i bet i can work out the exercise part on my own with some effort. I looked into personal training and nutrition consulting, but i probably can't afford it. And TBH my track record of sticking with plans that involve me going out (IE to a gym) is pretty bad. So I'm just looking for guys (or gals) who might have real life tips, tricks, suggestions on how to eat healthier and exercise better (at home, preferably).

There are so many programs and diets out there, supplements, and weight loss aids, do this and don't do this... i don't even know where to start! It doesn't help that i'm very picky about what i eat... and i know nutrition/diet is going to play a huge role in this.....

Any takers? Tips? Suggestions? Anyone have a plan that they follow that worked well? Forums, websites, anything that might be able to help me figure things out?

I've been able to stick to just about any sort of moderating regime in adult life except a good diet, so the easier and freer the better in my case with food. I found that in the form of permanent low carb diets. I can eat as much as I want on that diet provided its low carb and it doesn't feel quite like some sort of torment I can't stop thinking about. Of course I still want to be able to eat whatever I like but everything else failed except that, and I have to stick to it for liver health and to avoid a bunch of possibly hereditary heart/circulation problems the rest of the family has.

It also helped to find a form of exercise I genuinely enjoyed, as I find most exercise too damn boring to stick to, so I took up sea diving... I would often go out in the early morning for 3 hours of continuous activity against the tide and the waves and find I was at least 2 lbs lighter when I got back, which would be a good start to the day and encourage me not to ruin it later by eating too much.

In short I like to eat till I'm sated, which can be a lot, so the answer was to adjust the kind of diet so that I could still do it but not be storing fat; and I hate boring exercise so I had to go out and find a type with a good mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, little bit of risk and exploring to keep things interesting, and sport/endurance elements like polespearfishing.

It was just too difficult to motivate myself to bench press for hours and then reward myself with tiny plates of salad. Some people have the iron will - I just need a form of distraction to get to the same place.   

I don't know if I'm the right person to answer this... or how specific info you're looking for... or how strict diet plans etc... but first, here's a few ftm websites:
http://ftmfitnessworld.com/2014/10/15/how-to-build-a-masculine-physique/
https://transguys.com/health-fitness

And did you already check out this, from this site:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,84528.0.html

Secondly:
Strictly MY opinion/advice:
- Eat regularly, about 5 meals a day. Don't skip meals. Always eat breakfast.
- Eat lots of fruit & vegetables
- Don't count calories (too much) or don't restrict yourself - if you really crave for something, just eat it. If you try to restrict yourself - you'll be eating three of those later on...!
- Sleep enough. (at least 8 hours)
- Drink lots of water so you don't become dehydrated. When your urine is clear, you've drunk enough water. If it's yellow/dark, drink a lot more.
- Eat until you're full. And EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN!!! Protein is the one thing that keeps your sated, and helps with muscle growth. Protein basically keeps you happy & energized. Tip: especially chicken is a good protein source.
- Avoid highly processed foods & meat products. Instead try to cook yourself from lean protein. Try eating fish.
- Make exercise a part of your day. For example, at least 30 minutes every day. Don't set extreme goals that you can't keep.
- Choose a form of exercise that you REALLY honestly like: horseback riding, trampolining, walking your dog, dancing, weight-lifting, golf, swimming, tennis etc. etc. If you actually like what you're doing, you keep doing it!
- Try to do often some type of exercising that really keeps your heart beat up! Try HIIT etc.
- Additionally: (if you haven't already) Make some small change(s), such as cutting down on alcohol, sugar, fast food, soda - stuff like that. Drinking more water (throughout the day) is a great small change that doesn't require anything from you  ;)!

I'm not a fan of calorie counting, strict diets, restricting etc. So this is what I do!

Plus, you can easily exercise in your own home! That's the most convenient venue for it. You can do it anytime and don't need to drag yourself anywhere. Just buy some weights or some stuff you like. And dancing is always a good form of exercise,  ;)! And all kind of messing around with weights will build your core, shoulders etc. That gives results fairly quickly & motivates & helps with weight loss & keeps your weight down. You can always do push-ups (helps your whole body & core) and/or buy some pull-up bar in your door, for example. You can always use your own weight if you don't even have weights,  ;)!

Probably you already knew all that but... tried to motivate,  ;)!

I've found that trampolining is the best & most fun exercise in the universe...  :D
It definitely slims you down & attacks all kinds of muscle groups. This of course requires some type of back yard - or not necessarily! There are also mini trampolines you can use inside. But the bigger the more fun,  ;)!!! And ofc there are trampoline parks!
http://springfit.org/activities/trampolining/benefits-of-trampolining/
http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-trampolining/ 
You should definitely try! (Tip: Listen to some upbeat music while jumping!!!)

But my personal advice to you is, don't go on a strict diet. Instead make exercising an enjoyable part of your life!

If you didn't find that at all helpful, my bad  ;).

I also hate counting in exercising! So I don't count, anything,  ;)!
Lazy..... Instead I play music really loud & dance & jump vigorously to it etc.....
I have my own quirky exercise tip: I dance to music with kettlebells in my hands  ;D!

So... you can see that... anything can help! Just figure out your own enjoyable way of moving!

Instead of counting moves I listen to my body sensations:
If some type of move feels difficult/strenuous/hard on my body, I know I need to work on that part  ;D ;D ;D!

Not the most conventional style of exercising, but...! Works with me  ;D!

To me exercising needs to be fun!!! I hate repetitive boring moves etc.
Plus I wouldn't ever have the time to drag myself to the gym! But at home I can move anytime I like!

Lately I have been looking at a lot of online resources and not doing much for my own fitness and nutrition (yet; I want to start after the holidays since this is prime time to eat my feelings  ;D) but the resources are good inspiration.
You could look at mensfitness.com and see what you find helpful. It's full of cis-guys but its something nice to look at when you want their physique. I know there are a few articles on bodyweight exercises you can do in your own home so those might help you find some of what you're looking for. It's cheap to use your own weight to get the exercise so it's definitely something to look into.

nothing wrong with eating healthy, good for you. Keep in mind though, muscle weighs more than fat so don't let weight be your deciding factor.

The thing I have found that works best for long term health is a combination of the diet guidelines at Primal Blueprint, https://www.marksdailyapple.com , and intermittent fasting.

The Primal Blueprint is similar to paleo in that it calls for eating real food and getting rid of all the food like substances that come in boxes and packages.  Additionally, for long term weight maintenance it calls for limiting carbs to 150g a day.  This is actually very easy without all the processed junk.  The website also includes good fitness advice.

Intermittent fasting limits your eating window to an eight hour or less window each day.  This has many benefits and is also very easy once your body adjusts to it.  You can do a search on "intermittent fasting" for a lot of information.  Currently I fast for around 20 hours a day.

For fitness you need to picture a long term goal in your mind whether that be muscle or running a marathon or something else.  Real fitness takes lifetime consistency and persistence and the workouts are not always going to be fun.  Sometimes they will hurt and occasionally they will bore you to death.  The only way to get past those bad days is to keep that long term picture of yourself prominently in the front of your mind.

You also need to get adequate sleep each day, probably a minimum of 6.5 to 8 hours each day.  This makes a big difference and lack of sleep undermines both diet and fitness.


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Viktor - i agree about finding something you enjoy doing... i'm not big on regimented programs and if i get bored, i don't want to do it. I'll have to look into different options around me but one thing i've tried and liked was cycling (spin class). I might look into that again. And i prefer body weight stuff to weight training, i just think being able to do pull ups and push ups and calisthenics is cooler than being able to bench press x-amount of weight.

PurpleWolf - Thanks! Lots of good tips, some of which i've tried to start implementing (cutting back on processed foods and sugars and sodas) and some of which i'm still looking into (counting calories and restrictive diets versus not). I'm not a fan of strict dieting, like i've said, but i can't just eat what i like when i like either because that's why i gained weight before (i'm a sucker for junk food - that box of donut holes can be gone in a day if i have it in the house).

Like i said above, i'm looking into exercises that are fun and i've definitely found a few things i've been able to incorporate into my day to day life. I'll be looking into other new things, and re-visiting old likes. Trampolining looks fun, and i've seen indoor parkour stuff that looks interesting... but i would have to find a buddy to go with because it also looks intimidating lol!

Aves - bodyweight stuff is what i'm mostly focusing on! Thanks!

Faith - 100% yes, i stopped weighing myself because i know that more muscle means higher numbers on the scale. I'm going by how i feel, and how my clothes fit (taking into consideration muscle mass of course lol.)

Deborah - thanks for the link, i'll be checking it out! Looks like it has some good stuff on diet and recipes and such, which i'll definitely need help with.

I've read a lot on low carb diets (mainly keto) and intermittent fasting. I might try easing into both (maybe not full keto but i can certainly work on cutting carbs). Cutting certain things and limiting others is do-able, and i can limit my "feeding window" (lol) to keep me from grazing all the time. I work 12-8 shift so it's a bit harder for me to just "skip breakfast and eat lunch/dinner and snacks between" or what have you since the better part of that window for eating is during my shift, when i cant eat! Might tweak it a little, maybe eat breakfast and have dinner at work or something and nothing when i get home.

-

New question - supplements, vitamins, etc etc.. yay or nay?

Sleep is something i have to work on. Insomnia sucks. And i have to get better at getting protein.

Quote from: TK9NY on December 15, 2017, 09:04:05 PM
New question - supplements, vitamins, etc etc.. yay or nay?

Since you asked, had to comment,  ;). My take on it: nay. You'll get all what your body needs if you eat a variety of foods & remember to eat those fruits & vegetables,  ;)! If you learn to cook, you can easily add things like bell peppers & tomatoes - tastes good! All vitamins & nutrients are best when you get them from real food. Only exception to this is vitamin D - if you live in a place where you are not exposed much to direct sunlight.

Quote from: TK9NY on December 15, 2017, 09:04:05 PM
Sleep is something i have to work on. Insomnia sucks. And i have to get better at getting protein.

Haven't read all the other responses - but yes, sleep is vital! Your muscles grow only during sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, a regular healthy diet plus regular vigorous exercise should help with that  ;)!

Good luck!

Oh, I'll add this:
I'm not a fan of strict dieting, like i've said, but i can't just eat what i like when i like either because that's why i gained weight before (i'm a sucker for junk food - that box of donut holes can be gone in a day if i have it in the house).
If you eat regularly, every 3 hours or so, around 5 meals a day, and enough protein plus fruit & vegetables - that should definitely help with that! When you are sated with 'proper food' & enough protein - you really don't feel that hungry. Skipping meals only makes you more hungry - and ultimately leads to eating a lot of junk. That's because your body is starving & craves for some high-calorie intake, such as fat & sugar. Usually this means fast food, sugary snacks etc.! That is actually biological: your brain & your body need energy, and when that energy is low - you are going to crave anything that will fill that deficit,  ;)!

I've noticed myself that the more regularly I eat - the less I eat snacks, sugar, etc.  ;). When I'm feeling energetic, sated & full - I don't feel like eating anything, not even something really good,  ;). This is good to keep in mind! If you are into those diets etc. go ahead! But I myself am not at all a fan of that. It is a sad truth that with constant dieting the weight just keeps going up... instead of down, if you know what I mean,  ;). I know from experience. But you do you!

As for me - I need to keep my blood sugar steady, which means eating regularly, & definitely having breakfast the first thing in the morning. If I don't eat enough or skip meals, I feel sluggish & don't feel like exercising coz my body just doesn't have enough energy for that. I've found that the more I eat (healthy stuff) the more I also exercise!

Another great tip: if you are busy & notice your blood sugar is crashing & you're becoming really hungry/tired - keep a stash of bananas at hand! Remind yourself that even if you are going to cook dinner next etc. - this is the time to take a healthy snack, such as a banana. It will get you through to the dinner etc. and you won't be too hungry when you actually sit down to eat, which means you won't crave for too much food.

It's always best to listen to your body: Am I hungry? Am I tired? Do I need rest? Am I thirsty? Do I feel edgy & need exercise?

When you keep yourself physically & mentally stimulated & satisfied, that also helps with sleep!

All kind of exercise is also a natural antidepressant! The more I exercise, the more energetic I feel  :D!

In addition to vitamin D3 you should supplement magnesium.  While theoretically you should be able to get that from food, most of our vegetables are nutritionally poor due to being grown in over farmed soil. 

You also should be getting at least 1 gram of protein per day per kg of bodyweight.  If you can't get that with food then whey protein is the next best thing.  Food is better though.   

Another thing to think about adding is a daily serving of fermented food for gut health.  You can make your own very easily and always have some available.  Fermented cabbage (sauerkraut) is the easiest and you can add various ingredients to taste.  Yogurt is also really easy to make.


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Quote from: TK9NY on December 15, 2017, 09:04:05 PM
New question - supplements, vitamins, etc etc.. yay or nay?

I don't take vitamins religiously every day but I take them every so often when I remember to, as I eat a lot of fresh greens and fruit whenever I can pick some up. If I couldn't get those for a few days or weeks I'd take vitamins. I just get the cheap all round basic vit + mineral type. I'm not vegetarian so I get the protein I need from fish and chicken mostly. If you are a veggie I'd look into making sure you get enough protein.

I also have some biotin for hair growth which I forget to take most of the time, but it's there. And IP6 for immune system which shouldn't be taken all the time but on and off for a week or two every few months.

I second Deborah on fasting. It's good for health and probably prolongs life according to studies. Typically I only eat once a day, and some days not at all. I don't have breakfast or lunch. My lifestyle allows it since I'm not training right now, but if you are looking for gains and to lead an active lifestyle I'd say you should eat more regularly than I do.

Yeah, did i mention being a picky eater?  ::)

I'm not vegan, vegetarian, etc - in fact i will openly admit that i barely eat fruit/veg at all. I joke with a co-worker who is and say that if i cut out meat, or animal products, i would starve. Canned peas, green beans, and carrots are about my variety. Which i'm assuming are not the best. Sometimes, i'll eat carrots if they're in a pot roast or stew (IE soft). I've never had salad. I don't have "a side of veggies" with dinner. Nadda. Nope.

I have a history of being picky, and bad memories of my parents trying to force me to eat my fruits/vegs (sit there until it's gone!) and me gagging over the food because i was just not having it. I also have a thing with textures - certain textures or tastes just make me gag. Don't know why. I am trying to broaden my horizons, but it's slow going. The other day i made carrots with my chicken, they weren't totally soft and crunched on the inside, i almost gagged. Yep. It can be that bad.

I don't typically have this problem with meats, though. If it's too tough or dry then i can't swallow it, but i'm pretty open to trying new meats and cooking methods for meats. Same with pastas, potatos, rices, etc - but i'm trying to reduce them to go low carb, so i'm guessing those are out of the question for the most part. Eggs i'm good with other than boiled, it's the smell that gets me.... but i like omelets and scrambled eggs. Same with nuts - nut butters are usually fine, but i don't like crunching nuts.

My biggest thing is obviously going to be incorporating the fruits/veg, especially the veg since a lot of low carb recipes have them. Any tips on sneaking them into recipes would be welcome (lol). Any thoughts on shakes, smoothies, etc? That may be how i can sneak stuff into my diet.... And of course figuring out snacks that are low carb. I can easily bring cheese and stuff to work. I could try nuts and seeds. Are there any low carb, maybe high protein, snacks that are just grab and go?

I think i'm going to focus on varying my diet and making it healthier before i start any sort of serious limiting (like intermittent fasting). That way i can figure out what i like, don't like, and work on preparing foods and such for the week without having to think that i only have a limited window to eat. I'm not seriously overweight, just looking to lose that last little bit around the waist, so i figure i can take baby steps and start with making my diet healthy and increasing the exercise. Then after i get that worked out i do want to try to narrow my eating window, allow for breakfast and lunch but not eat in the evenings. That may work....

Exercise is easier. I'm "lucky" enough that i have an active job - lots of bending, lifting, etc and i stand or move around for almost the full 8 hour shift. I've also found a few calisthenics "challenges" (one of which i'm in week two of and can already see the difference), asked for a spin bike for Christmas (got weird looks on that one), and plan to do some body weight reps and basic lifting with the next weights and stuff i just got. But i think my focus will be on the diet, because that's where i struggle the most. Especially protein (i know for a fact i don't get anywhere near the recommended amount). And cutting carbs (i get too much of those).

I'll do some more research on vitamins and supplements, i guess, but i would like to not have to take them if i don't have to. Vitamins i could deal with, but supplements and stuff just seem like a lot of $$ over time.

Thanks so far for the ideas!

I have to help you out, dude, again  ;D!
You don't like fruit?? What? Have you never eaten delicious bananas, apples, pears, water melon, peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes etc. etc.? Tangerines?! Oranges? What about berries, like strawberries...?? Cherries? Honeydew melon? My favorites: nashi pears & litchees!!!

Each time someone says they don't like fruit/veggies these come to my mind  :D!
You gotta go do some grocery shopping, man! I know you like to go low carb - but all kinds of fruit are really healthy, you know! It's better to eat some fruits than cakes & cookies, for example  ;)!

Tip: Go get some fruit & display it where you can see it all the time! Like in a fruit basket or some bowl. When you see all those delicious fruities, you feel like eating them, too! Don't just let them lie around in plastic bags, for example. And this is a fact,  ;)!

Like I said earlier, bell peppers, tomatoes & fresh garlic are things that can be added to all kinds of foods.  To pasta sauces, omelettes (well I wouldn't add garlic to that  ;)!), stir fried meat... I add bell peppers & tomatoes to many dishes I cook. They taste the best!

When it comes to salads: you should try out some couscous or pasta salad! And when you add cheese to a salad, it tastes better. Did you know you can add fruit to salad as well?
Try mixing these: cucumber, fresh bell pepper, water melon, pineapple, grapes, lettuce, oily feta cheese...
½ cucumber, 1 bell pepper, grapes, some lettuce plus feta cheese (in oil) makes a great dish!

Another thing you can't forget is avocado!!! It is the BEST! Try it out. You can eat it with a spoon - or add that to a salad as well! And ofc there's always guacamole,  ;)!

Believe me - eating fruit & veggies doesn't have to taste bad! I cook everyday & it irks me when someone says fruit & veggies taste bad,  :D! No they don't! If you know how to use them,  ;). Actually I used to be a vegetarian - but sucked at it big time coz never been a fan of beans of any sort! I need my meat to survive,  ;). Everything I cook tastes delicious, at least,  ;)!

You gotta learn how to cook & learn some new recipes! And incorporate that stuff in there! Believe me - once you get the hang of it, just eating plain meat with pasta/potatoes or junk tastes dull instead.

If you absolutely hate the idea of eating fresh food - shakes & smoothies are definitely a good option! Just go google some recipes. Generally any fruit can be mixed (& tastes good) - though don't have much experience on that,  ;).

And don't forget that protein! It's best to buy some fresh, unprocessed meat & cook it yourself. And add those bell peppers, tomatoes & fresh garlic in there. Plus lots of spices, such as: chili, cayenne, coriander, (bell) pepper, black pepper etc. The more you use spices, the less you need salt! Bouillon/stock cubes, like meat stock, are great with many dishes. Yeah, not that healthy, maybe, but I use them! Just make sure the ones you use don't contain monosodium glutamate (MSG).

However picky eater, I don't think it's possible to gag on delicious food,  ;)!

And if I were you, I'd save that $$ and just buy fresh fruit & vegetables instead of some supplements!

One last tip: you can consider also buying fruit juices that have no added sugar in them, just fruit. Such as plain orange juice! Tastes great in the morning,  ;).

If the texture of food disturbs you, try those juices at first,  ;D!

++++ ^ to all that.

Plain old salad is not very good.  I agree with you on that.  However, I eat a monster salad nearly every day with:
Iceberg Lettuce
Spinach
Garlic
Onion
Tomato
Sweet Peppers
Black olives
Avocado
Boiled eggs (sometimes)
Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Chia seeds
Ground flax seeds
Grated cheese
My own salad dressing with olive oil, flavored balsamic vinegar, and almond extract.

It's really good and has enough vegetable nutrients for the entire day and almost a whole day's worth of fiber.


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Quote from: Deborah on December 16, 2017, 11:15:13 AM
++++ ^ to all that.

Plain old salad is not very good.  I agree with you on that.  However, I eat a monster salad nearly every day with:
Iceberg Lettuce
Spinach
Garlic
Onion
Tomato
Sweet Peppers
Black olives
Avocado
Boiled eggs (sometimes)
Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Chia seeds
Ground flax seeds
Grated cheese
My own salad dressing with olive oil, flavored balsamic vinegar, and almond extract.

It's really good and has enough vegetable nutrients for the entire day and almost a whole day's worth of fiber.


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Now I'm hungry  ;D!
One of my favorites is a greek egg salad... yummy! (What's in that again? Boiled eggs, tomatoes...capers...roasted onion... boiled potatoes... things like that,  ;)! Oh, and olive oil ofc!!!)

Quote from: TK9NY on December 16, 2017, 10:10:13 AM
Eggs i'm good with other than boiled, it's the smell that gets me.... but i like omelets and scrambled eggs.

Odds are you are overcooking the eggs as that drives the sulfur out and make them stink. The proper way to boil eggs is place them in a cold pot of water and cover. Bring to a boil then turn the heat off and let them sit for 10 minutes. Drain the water and consume them or chill them for latter use. If you want them soft boiled, reduce the amount of time they set in the water.

Learn to fight - boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, Krav Maga, Brasilian Ju jitsu or judo. Anything from this list is fun, brings your functional strength to optimal shape fast and has an additional benefit of teaching you a thing or two that might help you defend yourself if ever needed.

Physical strength is as much of a currency in the man's world, as beauty in woman's.


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If you don't want to take vitamins then the best thing you can do is eat liver once or twice a week.  It is much more nutritionally complete than the muscle meats from an animal.

Eggs are another nutritionally complete food that you can eat every day.


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I'm back with more tips for ya  :D!

Forgot fresh mangoes & pineapple! You gotta test fresh pineapple - it's so sweet it's to die for!

Another tip: You could buy baby food - those fruit ones! You know, the glass cans. The texture is smooth and so easily digestable,  ;). I sometimes buy these for an easy snack! But warning: fresh fruit is better!

Flavored cream cheese is great in a pasta sauce! It also covers and mixes up the 'bits & pieces' a little,  ;).

You could try recipes for tortillas, burritos, stuffed pita breads - these usually contain vegetables plus salad etc. And they are really good  :D!

Tip: Whenever you try a new recipe, feel free to remove some items if you absolutely hate those & can't stand the taste! The idea here is to create very delicious dishes for yourself, you know. Example: one salad I make contains fresh mini tomatoes, which I don't like so I don't put them in there! That salad is so much better without them. (This only applies to some things you really don't like the taste of. Don't butcher the recipe altogether, alright,  ;)?)

When it comes to tasting stuff & learning to like new tastes, the same technique applies to you as to little kids who are picky eaters. The best way to learn to like food is to make it yourself and taste and touch stuff along the way. Taste all (or some) of the items you are chopping. Smelling, touching, tasting, looking etc. makes it easier for you to get used to that new stuff  ;D!

Tip: When it comes to bell/sweet peppers, the orange ones are the sweetest. Next after that comes the yellow ones. Orange & yellow peppers taste better & are not so strong-flavored as the usual red ones! (Don't ever buy green ones, they are raw & taste horrid=bitter.)

Tip: Whenever buying fruit & vegetables, make sure that they are fresh & good-looking. Over-ripe ones, too raw ones or spoiled ones taste bad, bitter or unpleasant. Wrinkled skin is a bad sign. Avocados that feel 'hollow' or have black spots in them, are spoiled already. Bright green & hard ones are raw. Here:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/473318-how-to-tell-if-a-fruit-is-spoiled/
Citrus fruits that are dry inside don't taste good!
Don't blame the fruit & its taste if it's already spoiled,  ;)!
Some vegetables become moldy & rotten when spoiled. But others just become really hard & tangy - bell/sweet peppers are one of those!
Learn to shop for fresh, good-tasting ones,  ;)! It is best if you pick them by hand yourself - that way you can squeeze & touch each fruit.

Happy tasting  :D!

--
One last tip: If you really can't swallow normal food, it is possible to puree it with a blender or hand blender. That way the texture becomes overall smooth & easily digestable without those 'nasty bits' you mentioned,  ;). But I would call this an extreme measure! It really ruins the texture & the taste of your dish. It would be best to just use the method 1, and learn to touch & taste different ingredients.

PurpleWolf - So, basically, i should suck it up and start trying new things?  ;D

Yeah, that's kind of what i figured if i'm going to try to cut out processed foods and limit carbs. And it's not that i think fruit/veg "taste bad"... some i've never actually tasted  ::)  .... it's that i'm hesitant to try them because, again, bad experiences with trying new foods and that sensitivity to texture.

But, i figure if i want to be as healthy as i can be NOW is the time to make these changes. What i'm figuring on doing is using one of my two days off to make actual food. Grocery shopping in the morning and cooking all afternoon. Freeze/refrigerate leftovers for the week.

I'm going to try to make one new dish a week, with one new fruit/veg (and yes i will take your suggestion and give it a try before i cook it when safe lol). I'm going to try to add fresh stuff, one new thing a week, to my eggs/omelette in the mornings.

It's been about a week since the original post and i've already made good progress. No more soda. I'm keeping track of my carbs and keeping them under 100g/day - it's way easier than i thought it would be. I'm not as careful with the fats (everything used to be "low fat" this or "no fat" that). I'm trying to keep my protein up. I don't count calories but i'm trying to be smart about what i do eat - no pigging out on junk food. I'm slowly working through my fridge and cabinets, getting rid of the processed stuff, and i'm going shopping tomorrow for fresh ingredients and stuff to make for next weeks meals.

PS - i love garlic so i would be the kind of guy to add it to my omelette in the mornings lol!

Deborah and Dena - i eat eggs for breakfast now, almost every day! They've always been an on-off food for me but now i like them. Hopefully i don't get sick of them, lol! Maybe i'll try to boil them differently and see if i like them better, maybe my mom just makes them wrong/different?

elkie-t - i used to do karate... if you count the after school caregiver teaching us some stuff as "karate"... or the basic intro freebies that i pestered my parents into taking me to..... i always wanted to continue it but my parents kept putting it off. I might look into what's available around here, because i wouldn't say no to any of that!

To that great egg breakfast add a slice of ham or some bacon.  That's a good way to get a healthy amount of protein first thing in the morning.  A glass of milk would also be good if you're not lactose intolerant.


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Quote from: TK9NY on December 19, 2017, 09:47:08 AM
elkie-t - i used to do karate... if you count the after school caregiver teaching us some stuff as "karate"... or the basic intro freebies that i pestered my parents into taking me to..... i always wanted to continue it but my parents kept putting it off. I might look into what's available around here, because i wouldn't say no to any of that!

I signed up in a gym that offers plenty of combat classes - boxing, Muay Thai and Krav Maga. There are many different people (of either sex, build, shape and strength) and instructors watch very carefully to avoid injuries. Again, plenty of fun, a lot of functional strength training and cardio, and you have to learn how to do a proper punch/kick (and usually we practice in pairs - so you get idea what it is like to be against someone who might be bigger and stronger than you, and then still know a thing or two to at least surprise him and run away).

Given the fact that women and trans-folk are more likely to be attacked by haters (who are always bigger and stronger and outnumbering you) - it makes a perfect sense that MMA and combative sports / self-defense classes are so popular among both sexes and definitely not 'guys-only' thing.

I don't go there as a trans-girl, since I don't go anywhere as one after I suppressed that side of me a while ago, but it definitely won't be any more difficult or unsafe to go to my gym as a transwoman than to go to a food store. The business owner wants your membership as much as anyone's else, instructors are there watching for safe exercises (it's bad business if someone injures you badly, even unintentionally), and there's plenty of padding/protective gear to prevent serious injury even if someone would want to do a bit extra to you. Again - imo- it's better to be prepared and conditioned to fight in a controlled environment with people watching out for your safety, than be unprepared and forced to fight for your life in some dark alley against people willing and capable of doing serious injury. A few bruises and scratches received in the process of learning might be a small price to pay in the long run.

Re: trying new fruit/veg - any suggestions on where to start?  :o  Yeah, i know, i'm a newb, and i keep asking stuff. Gotta start somewhere though! If i had to choose just one or two to try, keeping in mind i'm trying to stay low carb and low sugar, what would you guys recommend? Avocado seems to be a popular suggestion all around so that's on the list.

I just went shopping and bought a bunch of healthy fresh stuff. Mostly meats and seasonings, cheeses, etc - which i'm going to do something with tomorrow (lol). I didn't buy any fruit/veg because i'm going to go to a different store that i know has a better selection, and i plan on doing that tomorrow morning.

I also went through my cupboards and got rid of a lot. Most of it was out of date, proving just how much i don't actually eat it (boxed pastas and meals - highly processed stuff). I only have half of a shelf with high carb processed foods that i probably won't eat but still do occasionally enjoy - cheat meals if i ever want them, and they're way up top (i can't reach them easily) so i figure why the heck not leave them there. The rest is fairly healthy cooking stuff. Pat on the back for me!

I'm halfway through a calisthenics program that i found a while back - the program has you do daily 20-30 minute work outs with the occasional rest day, but i've been following it fairly loosely (as in not always doing it every day). Along with some hand weights and bodyweight stuff when i feel the urge, usually on the days i don't do the program, i've made SOME progress with strength. I feel muscles. I can do knee push ups or elevated push ups for reps - could never do either, and i'm close to being able to do a regular push up. I'm also becoming more flexible - i could never touch my toes without bending my legs, and now i'm only an inch or two away. The moves are getting harder as i go - crow pose, tripod, headstand, wall assist hand stand... i can do them, barely, but it's something i could never do before and every time i practice it gets easier. Once this program is done i have another, more advanced one.

Plus i got my spin bike for Christmas like i asked for. It came the other day. My parents had it sent to my house. But i wasn't allowed to open it and can't until after christmas. I'll be downloading some programs for that to start after the holidays and i'm shockingly excited to start - i usually hate doing cardio stuff. I'm also looking into local places that offer combat classes like elkie-t suggested. There are a few in town, and a couple more within 15 minutes drive from me. I'll check them out after the holidays too, maybe gear up to sign up for one in the spring.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions so far!